Pennsylvania House Bill HB750

Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/25/25
• Refer: 2/25/25

Caption

In general provisions, further providing for definitions; and, in subdivision and land development, providing for local option for high impact warehouses and distribution centers.

Summary

HB750 amends Pennsylvania’s Municipalities Planning Code to add definitions for “warehouse,” “distribution center,” and a new category called “high impact warehouse or distribution center.” A high impact facility is defined as a warehouse or distribution center that uses at least three acres and is 100,000 square feet or larger, and the bill excludes retail facilities open to the public from these definitions. The bill then creates a new local-option approval process for these large facilities. If a municipal governing body or planning agency approves a plat for a high impact warehouse or distribution center, that approval would not become final unless the municipality’s voters approve the project in a referendum. The referendum would be placed on the ballot after a governing body resolution, include a description of the proposed project, and be decided by a simple majority of voters. The bill would take effect 60 days after enactment.

Impact

HB750 would change the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code by adding new land-use definitions and by giving municipalities a voter-approval mechanism for certain large warehouse and distribution center projects. It would affect local zoning and subdivision/land development approvals by making final approval of qualifying projects contingent on a municipal referendum, thereby adding a new layer of public review and potentially delaying or blocking development even after administrative approval.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or recorded vote information is available for HB750, so there is no documented legislative debate or vote history to gauge support or opposition. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears designed to give local residents more direct control over large warehouse development, which may appeal to communities concerned about traffic, land use, and neighborhood impacts, while likely drawing concern from developers and business interests that favor predictable approval processes.

Contention

The main point of contention is the bill’s requirement that voters approve a qualifying warehouse or distribution center after local planning approval. Supporters would likely view this as a local control and accountability measure for large projects with regional impacts, while opponents may argue it creates uncertainty, delays, and an extra hurdle for economic development. Another likely issue is the bill’s broad threshold—projects of 100,000 square feet or more on at least three acres—which could capture a wide range of industrial development and make the referendum requirement a significant constraint on siting decisions.